Preflop question - blind steal from the hijack.

[OrianasDaad]

I'm playing in a nine handed $2/$4 game, and it's folded to me in the hijack. I've got 9[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]8[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img].

CO is TAG.
Button is a mild LAG. (45/8/1.3), but I've shown down good hands against him so far.
SB is meh, 5 for 5 on folding to steals from this position though.
BB is loosish over 79 hands - but folds frequently when they miss on the flop.

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I've been struggling with situations like this. My standard raising hands in this spot have usually included a couple of high cards, or a pocket pair. Maybe even hands as weak as K9o or A8o. These medium suited connectors make a tough pre-flop decision for me in a full game.

What's the general play?

[sharpie]

I don't think it matters much. I'd raise T9s all the time, and 98s if the BB was a little tighter, or if I hadn't raise much lately.

[JJH3984]

I raise here. The only reason i consider folding is Button seeing so many flops.

[Bluffoon]

I think this is marginal with a couple of loose opponents to act however it sounds like you have a good image and probably decent control over these opponents postflop so I think that swings it to a raise.

[Allday Everyday]

I think this is a close decision between raising and folding.

Of course, it seems an easy raise if the four players to act behind you act ideally. That is, like to fold. However, I'm not sure that is the case in this hand. Button and BB seem to like to call preflop with marginal holdings. In addition, any of the 4 players might have picked up a legitimately good hand. Getting called with 98s wouldn't be so good IMO.

Of course, from the HJ it will look less like a steal. Especially if you have an image of somebody who doesn't steal much. So, the players might be less likely to call then usual. And if you can outplay them postflop...A raise might be good. However, I think if you began stealing with weaker holdings more often, your table image would change and you might have to tighten up again eventually...

I think I would often fold in a close decision. Raising doesn't seem too bad in some conditions. Calling seems awful.

[cpk]

I think it's borderline because of the Button. I voted raise because raising is more fun than folding.

[Harv72b]

I think you can pretty much flip a coin here. If my image is good, I'm likely to raise. If my image is not good, I'm likely to fold. If I'm not involved in any hands on my other tables, I'm likely to raise. If I'm playing out an OESD and waiting to raise with pocket kings on other tables, I'm more likely to fold. Or if all else equals out, am I bored and/or do I feel like mixing it up?

Incidentally, even with two aggressive players behind you, I don't think this is a terrible spot to openlimp, if you have a strong table image. Sometimes limping with a limping hand is mixing it up, too.

[Bob T.]

If I was playing 5-10 I would raise every time here.

It's 2-4,and some of my opponents are pretty loose, I would have to have a good grip on how they play postflop, where they folded, and if they might get tricky on me, but if I didn't have a good read, I would raise, and then use the results to modify my play later on.